This article is part of our DraftKings Fantasy Soccer series.
Welcome to another week of our Major League Soccer coverage for DraftKings contests.
Similar to their Premier League game, you have a $50,000 salary cap to build a roster made up of one goalkeeper, two defenders, two midfielders, two forwards and one flex.
And also like their EPL game, points are awarded as follows:
Goal = +10 PTs
Assist = +6 PTs
Shot = +1 PTs
Shot on Goal = +1 PTs
Crosses = +1 PTs
Fouls Drawn = +0.75 PTs
Red Card = -1 PTs
Saves (GK) = +2 PTs
Goal Allowed (GK) = -2 PTs
Clean Sheet (GK, D) = +5 PTs
One Goal Allowed (GK, D) = +2 PTs
Win (GK) = +5 PTs
Penalty Kick Save (GK) = +3 PTs
There are a number of GPPs available, and based on last week's activity, there could be a decent amount overlay.
$5K Equalizer ($750 first prize), Entry Fee: $27
$4K Golden Boot ($2,000 first prize), Entry Fee: $200
$2K Striker ($150 first prize), Entry Fee: $3
and many more…
The following games are included:
Philadelphia Union at Columbus Crew
Real Salt Lake at New England Revolution
Sporting Kansas City at Houston Dynamo
D.C. United at Vancouver Whitecaps
With injuries, suspensions and international duty in full swing, squads are constantly changing. If you want to compete for a top prize, it is crucial to study starting lineups before a match kicks off. Starting lineups are generally posted an hour before each match starts. With that being said, let's get to the picks:
Goalkeepers
David Ousted ($4,200)
Ousted is the leading fantasy keeper this season, yet only around 2 percent of folks on DraftKings had him in their lineups last Saturday. While he wasn't the highest scoring keeper on the day, due to a lack of shots for him to save, Vancouver's rock between the posts grabbed his fourth clean sheet of the season in his eighth game. This week, they are at home against a D.C. United team that has only had one multi-goal game thus far. Fabian Espindola is returning from suspension for the first time this season, but he isn't a cure-all for United's dull offense, and especially not versus one of the tougher defensive squads in the league.
Steve Clark ($5,300)
Like Ousted, Clark is also earning clean sheets at a rate of 50 percent this season, and he will play a home match against a similarly weak offense. The Philadelphia Union look more dangerous with Christian Maidana back in the lineup, and they have scored in four straight matches, but Columbus is a superior group in all areas of the pitch. Whereas Columbus is one of the best possession teams in the league, Philadelphia is at the bottom. You might have to sweat some dangerous set piece chances if you select Clark and his undersized Crew defense, but overall, they should tidily handle a fatigued and banged up Union team.
Bobby Shuttleworth ($4,600)
The New England defense is serviceable, and Shuttleworth is an outstanding keeper. However, the main reason for this selection is the dysfunction of Real Salt Lake's offense. In the past two matches, RSL has only managed a combined four shots on target, and it appears that their best attacking player, Javier Morales (groin), will miss out once again. This is both good and bad, as a clean sheet bonus is more likely, but points for saves could be scarce. For that reason, Shuttleworth isn't my top selection this week, but the Revolution have only conceded once at home all season, and Shuttleworth feels like the safest play of the bunch.
Defenders
Hernan Grana ($3,900)
In a pick-up game, the worst people to play with are those that are supposed to be playing defense but just drift off up the field wherever they want. For our fantasy lineups, that is want we want in a defender, and Grana fits the bill. He is tied for the league lead in crosses by a defender, and is second in key passes with nine. In his five appearances for the Crew this season, he would have reached double digit points on DraftKings all but once. With Grana, you get high offensive potential, and a good chance at a clean sheet bonus against Philadelphia this week.
Marcel de Jong ($3,500)
De Jong is going to be on everybody's radar sooner rather than later. The Canadian international likes to push up the field and take some ambitious shots in addition to a healthy dose of crossing. The toothless Houston Dynamo are an ideal opponent for a Sporting Kansas City group still trying to find their groove, and de Jong should continue to make strides with his new team. His DraftKings price presents great value for somebody presenting good potential for points at both ends of the field.
Chris Tierney ($4,000)
If you are looking for an EPL DraftKings equivalent to Leighton Baines or Kieran Trippier, Tierney is your guy! He has a wicked left foot for set pieces, and might be the only MLS defender outside of Grana who can dump an avalanche of crosses onto their opponents. Tierney is averaging 5.5 crosses per 90 minutes and should be returning from injury this week to face a hapless Real Salt Lake team. If you can trust him to shake off the rust quickly, he has as much fantasy potential as any defender in the league and is well worth the higher price tag.
Editor's note: Allen was with the US U-20 team this week and will not playJordan Allen ($3,200)
Although he is listed as a defender on DraftKings, Allen is playing on the wing in a 4-3-3 for RSL. The inexperienced player has yet to play a full 90 minutes, but he has flashed plenty of promise. RSL is struggling offensively, and Allen isn't particularly piling up the shots or crosses, but filling a defensive spot in your lineup with a forward could pay large dividends. Allen isn't 100 percent certain to start at this point in his young career, so make sure he is in the lineup before you decide to roll the dice.
Midfielders
Lee Nguyen ($7,400)
Nguyen disappointed DraftKings owners last week with a fairly quiet performance in Philadelphia. Don't be a part of the faction who give up on him quickly, though, as he would have had at least nine points in the previous four matches. Nguyen is still working his way into form after losing much of the preseason and first few games to injury. When fully fit, he is a true game changer in MLS, and can get the job done in a variety of ways both on the pitch and for DraftKings scoring. Juan Agudelo, Charlie Davies and Teal Bunbury are all finding ways to help this group, and it's up to Nguyen to elevate them all.
Pedro Morales ($8,000)
Morales returns from a red card suspension with what should be quite the itch to get back on the field. The Whitecaps are having as good a year as anyone in the league, and like Nguyen, Morales ties all of the Whitecaps' pieces together. His ability to link up with Octavio Rivero has proved invaluable and makes him as likely to bag an assist as anyone in this slate. He may not get on the wings often to grab crossing points, but you can bank on him finding plenty of scoring opportunities, particularly on set pieces.
Cristian Maidana ($6,000)
Maidana single-handedly makes the Philadelphia Union watchable. He is only less heralded than some of the league's premier attacking midfielders because of his inability to escape injuries. In a week full of top class free kicks, Maidana's may have been the best of the bunch. While few of his musclier attacking teammates are individually intriguing, they are able to finish chances adequately, particularly Fernando Aristeguieta. Maidana has yet to play a full match this season, but should be nearing full health, and it is clear that they desperately need him on the field. The bargain price on Maidana won't last all season, so take advantage while you can.
Benny Feilhaber ($7,300)
I wrote in this week's MLS Barometer that Feilhaber may be the best midfielder in MLS this season. While that is true, he isn't exactly the dynamic type of player we ideally want in a DraftKings lineup. Four of his seven games have seen him earn exactly two crosses and shots combined. However, In the other three, he has at least five crosses, and on the season he has five assists in seven matches. With Graham Zusi back in the lineup and Dom Dwyer ready to heat up at any minute, Feilhaber should be more reward than risk against Houston this week.
Chris Pontius ($7,000)
Pontius will never be a guy to build a lineup around, but the D.C. United forward gets midfield eligibility on DraftKings. He has consistently rattled off three shots per game this season, and could get a boost if/when Fabian Espindola enters the match. Vancouver's defense has been quite good, but MLS followers are still waiting for Pa Modou Kah to end the mirage of good play he's been exhibiting alongside Kendall Waston. Many forget that Pontius has a 12-goal season under his belt, and he's also a versatile forward rather than a target you can only rely on for shots and goals. Chances will be there despite the seemingly lopsided nature of this match, and Pontius is as good a gamble as anybody.
Forwards
Dom Dwyer ($9,000)
Players coming to DraftKings from other fantasy MLS formats might not even consider Dwyer for the lineups at this point. After scoring 22 goals last season, the striker finds himself mired in a significant slump. He is getting plenty of chances, though, and some of them are bound to begin falling. Already this season he has games with both six and five shots, and he is using his speed to draw plenty of fouls. Houston presents a rivalry match for Sporting Kansas City, and though they have been difficult to break down defensively, they don't feel like a team anybody is scared to play. As noted above, Benny Feilhaber is playing out of his mind right now, and Graham Zusi's presence alone should help Dwyer find some space. Selecting Dwyer might feel like a roll of the dice, but his deceptively high floor this season in terms of DraftKings points will ensure he doesn't hurt your chances.
Darren Mattocks ($5,800)
The resurgence of Mattocks has MLS abuzz. He is moving the dial from hopeful substitute to starting 11 fixture. The head on his shoulders seems to have caught up to his speedy feet if his appearances this year are any indication, and unfortunately his price is catching up to his performance on DraftKings too (up $900 from last week). Of course, Octavio Rivero is an outstanding option for your forward slot and Kekuta Manneh is equally electric to Mattocks, but if you're feeling frisky, try riding the Jamaican's great form.
Kei Kamara ($9,100) and Federico Higuain ($7,500)
The Crew are one of the most dangerous offenses in the entire league, largely thanks to these two players. Kamara is averaging almost five shots per match, while Higuain has been one of the greatest playmakers in the league over the past three seasons. Higuain had a trademark outing last Saturday, with ticks all along the stat columns. While he wanders all over the field demanding the ball at his feet, Kamara prowls the opponent's back line. One misstep from a defender is all it takes for Kamara's speed to create a chance, and his finishing confidence is as high as ever. You truly can't go wrong with either player, and both wouldn't be a terrible idea this week against the Union.
Fernando Aristeguieta ($7,200)
Aristeguieta has been carrying a knock, but if he plays, he is Philadelphia's best chance to score. While his straight line speed is severely lacking, his hustle seems to always surprise defenders and his aerial presence is commanding. He's the type of player that isn't afraid to take a bad shot, and could conceivably fire at least five towards goal any night. We heaped praise on Maidana already, and Philly's big designated player signing Aristeguieta has given them a true finisher to finally put some of these skillful passes into the back of the net. Aristeguieta isn't satisfied with sitting up top either, and won't be afraid to dip back into the midfield to get his hands dirty and set up his teammates too. The bearded Venezuelan should make for an intriguing third forward to fill your flex spot this week, particularly if you already are using Maidana.
